Draft mechanism.



G; ESTA'BROOK.

DRAFT MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED MAY 21, 1908.

9954,3285 Patented June 8,1909.

INVEN TOR Qic'zrlea/Zflsia 6x001? ATTORNEYS UNITED s'r 'rEs PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES ELSWORTH ESTABROOK, OF SPRINGPORT, INDIANA.

DRAFT MECHANISML To all whom trim/1y concern:

Be It known that I, Cnannns IJLSWOR'III llS'l'AI-HHNIK, a citizen of the'United States,

. oral horses or other draft anin'ials, to be hitched in such a way that the Work Will be equally distributed among them. In other words, the lever arm from the point of application of the pulling force, will be adjustable to suit the power oft-he animal.

The invention consists in theconstruction and combination of parts to be more fully described hereinafter and particularly set forth in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompany: ing drawings forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a perspective of a draft mech anism constructed according to my invention; Fig. 2 is'a vertical section throughthe equalizer bar of the draft mechanism and illustrating the means for locking the parts of the equalizer. bar together; Fig. 3 'is a side elevation -of the equalizer plate which constitutes a feature of the invention,

. certain parts being broken away.

'jscope 'with'each other, as shown.

Referring more particularly to the parts,

1 represents an equalizer bar which is formed of two sections or bars 2 and 3, which tele- These bars are of U section, the axis of the U being horizontal and the rounded part disposed forwardly in such a way that horizontal flanges '4: are formed. Atthe ends of the bars 2 and 3, clips 0 are attached, to whichswingletrees 6 are connected. The

" flanges; of the bar sections ,2 and 3, are

-' provided with a plurality of-openings 7 which are disposed in'two rows in staggered rela ion. These openings '7 are adapted to register with each other, as indicated in Fig.

2, seasto enable the bars '2 and 3 to be con- .nected together bya vertical pin 8,.whichpin passes downwardly through a' slot 9 Specification of Letters Patent. Application 'filed May 21, 1908.

Patented June 8, 1909.

Serial No. 434,023.

shackle is attached to the plow or other implement or vehicle which'is to be drawn. It will be evident that the yoke 10 may be used to connect the bar sections 2 and 3 at differentpoints between the swingletrees 6 so that the lever arm of either animal may be varied as desired. The end clips 5 present transverse vertical rear bars against which the rear edges of the members 2 and 3 abut; the forward portions of the clips are rounded so as to conform to the rounded forward edge of these parts.

The draft force which is developed by the two horses on the equalizer bar, may be balanced by the force developed by the' single horse hitched to the swingletree 13, for the lever arm of the swingletree 13 at the equalizer plate 12 will ordinarily be greater than that of the two horses. 'This ofcourse de-' pends upon the position of the shackle 15 and its point of attachment to the plate. If the horse which is hitched'to the swingletree l3 unusually powerful, the shackle l5will be attached higher up on the equalizer plate so that thelever arm of the powerful horse' the force exerted by the 'di erent animals.

If desired, the equalizer bar sections 2 and 3 may be. completely telescoped with each other so as to transformth'e bar'into an ordinary doubletree-to be used with two horses only.

Fig. l. that-the equalizer bar may be changed. in a moment and made into a short -2= hi tjchlaindoubletree, or a medium length wagon oubletree; one long 3-.horse double- It will be evident from an inspection of tree, and it can be adjusted to give either animal hitched to it theadvantage of an easier pull.

If the effective length of the equalizer plate 12 were divided into threeparts, the

openings marked 1, 1, would lie near the division mark, in other words, if the shackle 15 Were attached in the lower opening marked 1, the shackle 11 would have half the lever arm of the swingletree 13. Now if one should wish to give the single horse a'slight advantage or longer leverage, the shackle 15 can be shifted down to the lower opening marked 0, if a still further advantage were have been omitted, but the division lines'are' placed on the plate so as to indicate where these opening'swould be if they were used. Similar division lines are used in the upper portion of the plate to indicate the position of the openings which are omitted, but which would be marked 4 and- 5. The mark just below the number 61 indicates the middle point of the plate.

The U-form of the equalizer bar is par ticularly-advantageous on account of" the fact that the flanges .are presented in 'a horizontal plane so as to resist the forces acting upon the bar, and these flanges present va SllfllClBHt breadth to receive therows of, openings 7 by 'means of which the two partsof the bar areconnected; ,By arranging the rows of bolt holes in a staggered relation they do not reduce the strength of the bar at points where't-hey occur.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent,

1. In a draft mechanism, in combination,

an equalizer bar formed of telescoping members open at'their rear sides, present ,ing rounded forward edges and rearwardly projecting flanges, clips having cross bars at -the1r rear portions engaging the rear edges'of saidfianges and having rounded the rear edges-of said flanges, swingletrecs attached to saidclips, said members having a plurality of openings formed initheir telescoping portions, said openings being disposed in rows in a staggered relation, a yoke adapted to shift on said equalizer bar at said openings and having slots adapted to register with the openings of said rows, a through bolt passing through said slots and said registering openings, a shackle attached to said yoke, an equalizer plate attached to said shackle, and a swingletree attached to said equalizer plate.

3. In a draft mechanism, in combination, an equalizer bar formed of telescoping members of U- cross section presenting rounded forward edges and rearWa-rdly projecting flanges, said flanges having a double row of bolt openings formed therein adapted to register together, a shackle disposed around said bar at the point where said members telescope, said shackle having a slot therein disposed trmisverscly of said bar, and a: bolt extending tran versely of said bar and certain of said openings, sc-

curi-ng said shackle tosaid bar and securing said n'lenibers against longitudinal movement with respect to each other.

'In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses. I

CHARLES ELSWHH'lll liS'llltltOllh'.

Witnesses JOSEPH J. .llICKMAN,

CLmu E. Cumin. 

